CoCo

• Mr Henrik Jensen
  

  MEDCOM
  Heden 18 DK - 5000 Odense C Denmark	tel: 45 66 13 30 66 fax: 45 66 13 50 66 KBERN@INET.UNI-C.DK
  url:

• to improve the coordination and continuity of health care and social services, and
• to stimulate the development of a European market for telematics

The CoCo project will establish pilots of Regional Health Care Networks. The objective is to improve the coordination and continuity in primary health care. Validation of these large scale pilots will take place in 10 regions in 8 European countries and in one Canadian region including more than 30 hospitals, 20 health care centres and 12 universities together with 7 national teleoperators and more than 50 national sw-suppliers. Project “ownership” by the users - the regions - is one key element in CoCo. This will ensure committed participation from the users and the continuos focus on real user needs.

Many professionals are involved in the treatment and care of patients: Hospital, GP’s, Home Care, Laboratories, Pharmacies etc. As a result of this specialization and division of labour, there is extensive communication between - communication og everyday routine messagges such of prescriptions, referrals, discharge letters and lab results. And a strong need for more advanced multi-media information.

At the same time, the patient requires a coherent service and expects the persons involved to have access to all relevant information. The health care professionals want to deliver a satisfactory and cost-effective service. The authorities demand high quality and efficiency. Thsi cannot be achieved without up-to-date information and the relevant knowledge. The correct, speedy and safe communication of these messagge has therefore become decisive tio the cost, quality and patient service of the entire health sector. CoCo establish regional health care networks to meet this needs.

The CoCo project also included multimedia messagges and addresses European requirements for security. Most of these messagges are based on the emerging European CEN standards.

Apart from stimulating the development of a European market of telematics, the CoCo project will enable better service for patient, higher professional standards and a more efficient health care sector.